What Spurs star De’Aaron Fox said to Victor Wembanyama against the Pelicans

With the New Orleans Pelicans refusing to go away, San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox revealed to ClutchPoints that he wasn’t shy about sharing a thought with the superstar Victor Vembanyamadespite the fact that it is night marked Fox’s 2025-2026 debut.

“I told Vic, ‘They brought me here to help you close games.

Two of Fox’s team-high 24 points came on the skinny in the lane after the ninth-year guard’s vintage step-through with half a minute left that helped seal the 126-119 win.

The NBA Rookie of the Year just two years ago, Fox not only made his 2025-26 debut, but also played in his first game since March.

“Obviously it’s still a work in progress. I mean, this is only our sixth game playing together,” Fox told ClutchPoints about his on-field relationship with Wemby.

“But I think we help each other and complement each other.”

“In the 4th quarter, I told Vic, ‘They brought me here to help you,'”⬇.

Asked De’Aaron Fox about hitting that big bucket with less than :30 left, which gave #Spurs 124-119 lead in a win against the Pelicans

More on Fox to come in the postgame report.#Spurs#GoSpursGo#PorVida pic.twitter.com/BFbH2tSmeM

— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) November 9, 2025

Acquired in an offseason trade last year, Fox and his 21-year-old teammate played just five games together because of blood clots in Vemabanyama’s right shoulder. A month later, with their postseason chances slipping away, the Spurs cut Fox, who had been dealing with a nagging shooting hand injury since the start of the season.

De’Aaron Fox reminds us how valuable he will be to the Spurs

What makes Fox’s 9-for-14 performance from the field in his return even more impressive is that none of those baskets came in the first quarter.

After he started, Fox came back in and quickly scored 13 points to start a second quarter that helped the Spurs extend a lead they would never lose.

ClutchPoints asked Fox if he used the opening period to get back into rhythm before deciding to attack.

“Funnily enough, when I started the game, I said, ‘I’m probably not going to make it now,'” Fox replied.

“I haven’t played a game since March. You’re going to have that kind of rust, but can I still affect the game?” And I felt like I did that defensively and then rebounding in the first quarter. And then the second quarter, he just got the rhythm of being there.”

Continuing to answer ClutchPoints’ question, the 2023 NBA All-Star admitted that it took him a little while to get his feet wet.

“I got a second wind and the shots started falling. I didn’t do anything different than I would have done in the past, but being able to get comfortable obviously helps with that.”

Fox knows that Vembanyama’s presence has helped his already unique marksmanship.

“Teams are going to guard him in a special way. So for us, it opens up everybody else, and for me, if I can play one-on-one like that, I like my chances most of the time.”

“Even with Steph (Stephon Castle), I feel like it’s opening up for them as well,” Fox added.

On a team dominated by young phenom Vembanjame and newly minted 21-year-old reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, Fox is fully aware of what he means to a team that is close top of the West at 7-2. It’s an understanding his talented teammates were reminded of in his return.